


Where You Left Your Heart

by Ksanral



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22075006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ksanral/pseuds/Ksanral
Summary: Set after 2x07, Landon is gone and he is probably not coming back, but Hope doesn't have much time to feel heartbroken when she gets called to Dr Saltzman's office: Freya made a ritual that knocked her out, no one knows if or when she'll wake up and no one knows the true extent of the ritual. What Alaric and Hope find out is that someone has just appeared in his office.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 18
Kudos: 107





	1. Chapter I

**Author's Note:**

> Title from The Originals 5x01.
> 
> I promise this is going to be a Hosie, but I really love Klaus as well!!

A message appeared floating in front of Dorian, who stopped talking and read it. He rolled his eyes and looked at Hope, who was trying very hard not to fall asleep in class.

"Please make your way to the Headmaster's office," Dorian sighed.

"I didn't do anything!"

"You can tell that to dr. Saltzman," Dorian replied, clearly not believing her.

Hope got up, and left the class, accompanied by a few sneakers and comments from her classmates.

It was true she didn't do anything wrong and she was ready to tell Dr Saltzman that, marching into his office without knocking, but his expression stopped her dead on her feet.

It wasn't the 'I need your help with a monster, but you're a child and I need to protect you' look, or the 'Hope, I told you not to do this thing, why don't you ever listen?!' look. It was the same look her family had when they had to tell her her mum died.

"What happened to aunt Freya?" She managed to ask.

Dr Saltzman took a deep breath, not surprised that Hope immediately understood.

"She's alive," the words took a huge weight off Hope's shoulders, "but she's not well. I've just got a call from Keelin, Freya performed a ritual on her own and it was a powerful one."

"So?" She interrupted.

"Keelin found her passed out, drained of all her magic, she still hasn't recovered."

"What kind of ritual?"

Dr Saltzman opened his mouth to reply, then closed it, at the same time a movement at the edge of her vision caught her attention.

"A blood ritual," said an accented voice. A voice that she immediately recognised on a visceral level. A voice she never thought she would hear again except in her memories. A voice that was slowly fading from them as well.

Even before she consciously made the connection, tears were streaming down her cheeks, obscuring her vision.

"Dad?" She tentatively whispered.

"Yes, my littlest wolf," Klaus replied.

Hope stumbled up from the chair she sat on. "Is it you? Are you really here?" She took a few steps towards him.

Klaus closed the distance and hugged so tightly she could barely breathe but she didn't mind.

"How?" She crocked, still hugging Klaus, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear.

"We don't know," it was Dr Saltzman who answered, his teacher's tone full on. "Klaus appeared here a few seconds before Keelin called me. She doesn't know what ritual Freya was performing, I haven't had the chance to tell her about Klaus either."

Hope turned towards him, one arm still around her father and nodded. 

"Hope," he continued, his tone changed from teacher to father figure and Hope shuddered. "We don't know how long this will last."

Klaus tensed, she felt every muscle in his body  contract . "I suggest you go to New Orleans, be there when your aunt wakes up and she might shed some light on what she's done."

Hope nodded, then thought about Malivore and the monsters that plague them in the past few months. "We can handle ourselves for a while, I'll keep you updated and call you if we need more help," Dr Saltzman must have read her expression because he answered even before she could ask the question.

Hope turned towards her dad, who was looking at her intensely.

"We'll travel light, but if you need anything now's the time. I have to exchange some words with Ric," Klaus said and Hope realised how much she missed his voice. She smiled at the wording, he sounded threatening, but she knew he wouldn't hurt dr Saltzman.

She quickly ran to her room, but there was nothing she really needed. She was eager to get back to her dad's side and set off to see her aunt. And she didn't want to speak to any of her friends for now, she wanted to keep Klaus to herself a little bit longer. 

She left and went back outside Dr Saltzman's office, shifting from foot to foot, waiting impatiently for her dad to come out.

Her dad, she thought. He was there, flesh and bones, all his hybrid self, his smirk, his smile, she still couldn't believe it. What if it was a dream, what if it wasn't, but he was going to disappear any second?

She was caught up that she jumped out of her skin when the door opened and the two men got out. She restrained herself from running towards Klaus and hug him again. But she couldn't take her eyes off him, and so did he apparently. He was looking at her, a little smile playing on his lips as he finished the conversation with Dr Saltzman. They quickly shook hands and Klaus stepped towards her, a hand on her shoulder as he led her outside. 

"Good luck," dr Saltzman wished them.

"You too," Hope replied, "and call if you need, please." She added sternly, knowing how reluctant he was to let her help him. 

Klaus chuckled at her tone, "you sound just like you mother," he muttered. Hope beamed.

They left the building and walked towards the gates. Hope still had that restless energy cursing through her, and she could feel her dad's presence next to her, their hands brushing against each other as they walked. "The bus stop is not far, it'll be a long ride unless you want to rent a car," she started speaking, all the words coming out in a tush, almost without pause between each other.

"How about we run?" Klaus mused.

"I'm not a vampire, dad," she replied, suddenly afraid she disappointed him.

"No, you aren't, but you are a wolf, I remember seeing you turn," he said.

"Yes, bu-"

"With all the energy you have, I doubt you can stay seated for 5 minutes, let alone the entire journey to New Orleans."

Hope blushed.

"Wolf out, my littlest wolf, and we'll run."

So she did, she felt a bit awkward changing in front of her dad, so she hid behind a bush. She stifled the cry of pain, she didn't want Klaus to think she was weak, and when she got back to him, she jumped in surprise. 

Her dad was gone, in front of her stood a magnificent wolf. If she were still in human form she would've cried, but wolf emotions were different. 

She slowly approached him, her head low, the universal wolf gesture for 'I'm not a threat'. The wolf scoffed and brushed his head against hers, showing the same affection Klaus did when he hugged her. Hope's tail started to wag, she jumped a few times around her dad, who barked what for a human would be a laugh. He faked trying to bite her and she jumped out of his way, then she got closer again and he did the same, they both barked happily in between. She ran a bit ahead, then turned and taunted him to follow her.

They tried to catch and outrun each other for a long time, they also run with other animals, who were more scared than amused by the two wolves. In all honesty, it took them longer to get to New Orleans than it should have, but Hope had the most fun she ever had as a wolf. She always dreamt of running with her mum or her dad, but she never had the chance until now. She was grateful that Klaus decided to do it and to change himself as well, she knew her dad never embraced his wolf form completely. 

When they arrived at their house, Klaus stopped a bit farther from it. He whined and scratched his paw on the pavement, and invited Hope to go ahead with his head. 

Hope was confused for a second but then realised that Keelin didn’t know about Klaus and that he would definitely need a change of clothes to turn back. So she got inside, she heard her aunt Freya’s deep and regular breaths in her room, Keelin was in the kitchen, making tea from the noise of the kettle on the stove. She quickly got to her room and changed back to human and got some clothes on. 

She went to her dad’s room. It felt a bit weird, the room was left untouched, and they didn’t get into it very often, it was a sort of sanctuary, but there was no need for it now. She took a pair of jeans and a shirt and she was about to get back downstairs when she heard Klaus’ whine under the window. She looked, and there he was. She dropped the clothes so he could change, and went downstairs to wait for him. 

Seeing him in person shocked her again, even if they just ran together, even if his wolf smell was still in her nostrils, she still had difficulties coping with the fact that her dad was right there, right in front of her, alive. She hugged him again, but briefly, she didn’t want to look too clingy, but Klaus didn’t seem to mind. 

“It’s better if you go ahead, littlest wolf, and let your aunt know,” he suggested before giving her a kiss on the top of her head. 

She nodded and reluctantly let him go to head to the kitchen. Aunt Keelin was lost in her thoughts, which would explain why she didn’t hear them. The kettle was whistling on the stove and Hope ran to turn it off, Keelin jumped.

“Hope!”

Hope set the kettle down and hugged her aunt. “How are you, how’s aunt Freya?”

“I’m alright, she…” she took a deep ragged breath, “she’ll be fine, Vincent said she is just exhausted, he took Nik so I could focus on her.”

“I’m here now,” Hope said, Keelin looked fragile and she didn’t know how to break it to her that aunt Freya had brought Klaus back to life. 

“You didn’t need to come,” then she realised how long it had been, “how did you get here so fast?”

“I wolfed out,” Hope said sheepishly. 

“What?! All the way from Mystic Falls?”

“Yeah…”

“Hope! That was dangerous, all on your own…” Keelin shook her head.

“About that,” Hope bit her bottom lip, not sure how to continue, “I wasn’t exactly alone.”

“One of your friends came with you?”

“No, not a friend…” she took a deep breath and steadied herself, “Aunt Freya performed a blood ritual. I don’t know exactly the details, but what happened is that a certain someone appeared at school when she did.”

“A  _ someone _ ?”

“Maybe you should sit down,” Hope tried, but Keelin stood even straighter. Hope turned towards the door, she knew Klaus had listened, and she didn’t need to cue him in. He appeared by the door frame and Keelin’s eyes shot almost out of their sockets. 

“K-Klaus?” she whispered.

Klaus nodded, “my dear sister must have missed me more than she let on,” he shrugged, “not that I blame her.” 

Keelin stayed frozen for a while, Hope decided it was better if she gave her that cup of tea she just made. Keelin took it with trembling hands. “How…?”

“That, you have to ask Freya when she wakes up,” Klaus shrugged. 

Hope got herself a cup of tea as well, now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she was starting to worry about the situation.

“Vincent said she’ll be fine though, right?” She said.

Keelin finally took her eyes off Klaus and collected herself, “Yeah, honey, she will. She’s resting now, but why don’t you go upstairs and stay with her a bit?”

Hope looked terrified at the thought of getting away from her dad. She was ready to shake her head when she felt Klaus’ hand on her shoulder. 

“You do that, I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

That terrified even more, “What? Where are you going?” Her voice squicked like a little child’s.

Klaus smiled, “I’m a recently resurrected hybrid, and it’s been a long while since there’s been a vampire in this house. I doubt there’s still a blood stash here.”

Hope blushed. She didn’t think about that, but she still didn’t want to leave her dad. She wanted to say she would go with him, she had seen much worse, but the look on Klaus’ face stopped her. She nodded dejectedly and reluctantly left to get to her aunt's room. 

Freya looked at peace. Her cheeks were lightly dusted with pink, and her breath was regular. Hope let herself on a chair next to the bed, and she tried to reflect on the events of the day. What was her aunt thinking, performing a ritual on her own, without letting anyone know! What was the price for it? What if Freya never woke up? What if Klaus suddenly disappeared and never returned from his blood hunt? Hope didn’t think she could live with losing her dad again or losing her aunt because of what she did. She didn’t realise tears were streaming down her cheeks until she tried to focus on her aunt’s moving.

She blinked and scooted over, gently taking Freya’s hand. “Aunt Freya?” she murmured.

Freya opened her eyes, but it took her a few seconds before she focused on Hope and smiled tiredly, “did it work?”

Her voice was so low that Hope almost missed it. 

“Yes,” she nodded swallowing her tears, “Dad’s back.”

Freya sighed and fell asleep again. Panic started to spread even worse, what if that was all she needed to know to fall asleep forever and never wake up? What if when she woke up for those few seconds, the spell was broken and her dad disappeared?

She was hyperventilating, shaking so badly she let go of her aunt’s hand. She didn’t know what she was doing until she had her phone in her hands and a number already dialled. 

“Hope?” the sleepy voice on the other side called.

“Josie?” she replied, sobbing uncontrollably. 

“Hope!” Josie was suddenly alert, “What happened? Is your aunt okay?”

A mumbling complaint came from farther away from the phone. Lizzie, still sleeping. “Ooops,” Josie whispered.

“She’s sleeping,” Hope said between a sob and another, “what if she doesn’t wake up? What if he---”, she couldn’t finish, “what if he- he- he disappears?”

“What? I can’t hear you very well,” Josie whispered.

“He’s back, Josie, what if it doesn’t last?”

“Landon is back?” Josie sounded confused.

“Landon?” With all the events of the day, Hope forgot about Landon.

“Who’s back, Hope?”

“My- my dad,” she whispered, as if saying it out loud would make him go away.

“Your dad?” Josie sounded shocked, “is the Necromancer back?”

“No, my aunt,” she gulped her tears, trying to speak clearly, and failing, “she brought him b-back.”

“Wow...” 

“What if he disappears?” she asked again, “How did you do it?”

Now Hope, and Josie, realised why she called her. Josie was probably the only person who could understand. She had to go through it with her bio mum, just to see her go forever again.

“Oh, Hope,” Josie replied, her voice full of concern. Whatever little control over her emotions Hope had just dissolved. Her crying because ugly, uncontrollable, if she wasn’t so overwhelmed she would be ashamed about Josie hearing her. 

“You’re in New Orleans? I can come over tomorrow…” the rest of Josie’s comforting words was swallowed by her tears and sobs.

A whoosh of air hit her, and strong arms were around her, Klaus’ warm body suddenly engulfed her. He took the phone from her hand, and murmured something to Josie on the other end, before letting it drop on the bed. 

“Shh,” he whispered, rocking them back and forth, “I’m here, sorry it took me so long.”

Klaus kept her close, whispering reassurance that became stories, then unintelligible whispers as Hope stopped crying and let her dad calm her down.

She must have fallen asleep at one point because the next thing she remembered was waking up in her bed. It took her a few seconds to realise it was her bed in New Orleans and not at school, and what happened the day before, but when she did she frantically sat and looked around ready to sprint to go look for Klaus. 

“I’m still here,” he smiled from her armchair. 

She took a deep breath and smiled back, “Aunt Freya?”

“Still sleeping,” he replied, then smirked, “That young lady kept calling you.”

Again, she didn’t immediately realise what he was saying, then she remembered that awkward call to Josie and blushed and groaned at the same time. 

She grabbed her phone and saw that she had a few unread messages and missed calls. She quickly sent her a text telling her that she would update her later on, very conscious of Klaus looking at her. When she finished, she looked everywhere just to avoid meeting her dad’s eyes, but she could see him smiling. 

“I should go see aunt Freya,” she murmured.

“Keelin is there,” he said, clearly amused by Hope’s embarrassment, “I’ll bring you some beignet, I got them for breakfast.”

At that, a huge smile spread over her face, a warm feeling inside and all the awkwardness forgotten.

She went to her aunts' room, Keelin smiled at her and opened her arms for a hug. 

"How are you?" Hope whispered, not that it was needed. 

"I'm tired, I didn't sleep much," Keelin admitted, "Nik kept asking when he's coming back home and what's happening."

Hope nodded understanding, "Soon," she said, squeezing Keelin in another hug, "She'll wake up soon," but of course it was just her wishful thinking.

"I still find it hard to believe that you called your son Nik," Klaus smiled entering the room with a plate of beignet that he offered to Hope.

"It felt like the right thing," Keelin replied, helping herself to a beignet.

"Everything done in my name is the right," Klaus smirked and the girls laughed.

Hope missed that, his dad, his voice, his jokes that you never knew if he actually meant them.

They sat in comfortable silence, eating, and Hope couldn't stop herself to look at her dad, studying every detail and committing it to memory, just in case. She tried not to let herself panic, but to enjoy the moment, the opportunity. 

From the many times she met her dad's eye and the smiles they shared, he was doing the same.

"Should I try a spell?" She whispered after a while.

"No, Vincent said to just let her sleep for a while."

"It's been a while!" She exclaimed loudly.

Freya stirred and everyone held their breath. Hope couldn't believe that to wake her up, they just needed to make some noise, but her aunt didn't wake.

It took a while longer before she stirred again, and then slowly she opened her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bit busy so it took me a while to finish the chapter.
> 
> I swear we are getting some Hosie soon!!!!

Hope and Keelin rushed to help Freya up. The oldest Mikaelson smiled and hugged them feebly. 

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she reassured them. Her eyes then found Klaus, "Brother," she whispered happily. 

"My dear sister," Klaus finally approached her and hugged her too.

"I'll go make some tea," Hope said, tears of joy threatening to fall. She ran to the kitchen, hoping the kettle would hurry up and she found herself calling Josie again. It rang for a while and Hope almost hung up.

"Hope?"

"Yeah, it's me"

"Sorry, I was in class," that explained why it took her some time to answer, they weren't even allowed phones in school.

"Sorry, I just wanted to let you know my aunt woke up," she took a deep breath, "and I'm sorry for yesterday." Hope felt herself blushing, ashamed.

"I'm so glad she's awake!" Josie seemed genuinely happy, "you have nothing to apologise for, even though when your dad took the phone I was so shocked I'm sure my hair turned white!" She laughed.

The sound did something to Hope, she felt warm inside and grounded at the same time. 

"Thank you," she replied, not sure if it was about the feeling or the phone call. 

"Hope, I have to get back, I was in dad's class and he's going to come out to look for me soon," she said with urgency.

"Yes, go, Josie, thank you," Hope smiled.

"Call me back later," she said, her voice growing distant as if she was already putting the phone away. Hope didn't manage to reply that the conversation ended.

At the same time the kettle started to whistle, she made the tea and brought it back to her aunt's room.

Now that Freya was awake and apparently well and so was Klaus, Hope wanted to bombard her with questions. She felt the energy coursing through her, she was already restless, but she tried to contain herself. She looked at her aunt sip her tea and it felt like she was doing it in slow motion.

Keelin told her Nik was at Vincent, that he was a bit worried but okay, Freya couldn’t take her eyes off Klaus, as if she didn’t believe she did it. Klaus, on the other hand, seemed to be the only one calm. 

“We should address the elephant in the room before my beloved daughter explodes,” Klaus said, a smile playing on his lips. 

“I haven’t--”

“I’m a vampire, honey, your heartbeat is deafening,” he mocked her.

Hope rolled her eyes, she almost forgot how dramatic her dad could be.

“She should rest,” protested Keelin, but it was clear she was curious as well. 

“It’s alright,” Freya replied, holding her wife’s hand, “I’m sorry I made you all worry.”

“Start from the beginning,” Hope asked, even though what she wanted to know the most was the ending. 

“I started researching a way even before everything happened. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know if I’d find something,” she explained, when Keelin was starting to protest, and she caressed her cheek, “when I did, I didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up.”

“You should have told someone, I can’t come home and find you unconscious, not waking up,” Keelin said, the worry and anger seeping into her voice, “I understand you’re a witch, and you might do rituals and spell and they can be dangerous, but we have a son, Freya, you can’t just go and do whatever without letting someone know.”

They were both crying when she finished, aunt Freya could only nod. Hope felt like intruding, so she turned to look at her dad. They exchange a small smile, probably feeling the same. 

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Freya managed to say after a few minutes, “I won’t do it again.”

Keelin seemed fine with that. 

“I’m so glad it worked,” Aunt Freya said, in a whisper, as if it were a sin. She moved to hug Klaus, who huffed, taken by surprise. 

“How long will it last?” Hope asked, she couldn’t hold it any longer.

Her aunt let go of her dad and looked at her, “he is back, Hope. Back for good.”

It took a long time for Hope to register those words. She had her dad back. Was she sleeping? Was she going to wake up and find out that it was all just a dream? Klaus was back. Back for good, that’s what her aunt said.

“Like, forever?” she said in a small voice.

“Yes, honey, like forever,” Freya said, and tears were streaming down her cheeks again. 

“What’s the catch, sister?” Klaus asked, his voice wary.

“There’s no catch,” Freya replied, “It's an old complicated ritual, but I swear, there is no catch.”

Hope let go of a breath she didn’t know she was holding, and seemed like everyone in the room did the same. 

“How did it work?” even though she didn’t fully realise that it was real, there was a part of Hope that was already wondering about the possibilities, but Freya seemed to catch exactly what she was thinking.

“I’m sorry, Hope, there’s no way to bring back Hayley as well,” Hope deflated, she didn’t even realise she was thinking about that. “The ritual barely worked because of a combination of your blood and mine. I can’t even try to bring back Elijah, it wouldn’t work,” she said with regret.

Klaus expression was pained, he probably was hoping for that.

“It worked because you weren’t at peace,” Freya said directly to him.

Hope was shocked to hear that. The Necromancer told her, but she never fully believed him, he was a master manipulator after all. 

“My mum is,” she murmured.

“Exactly, and even if it were possible, to yank her out of there, it would be cruel,” Freya explained, “and it could have repercussions on her, she could be mad, or bloodthirsty or just an empty shell.”

“You researched it quite a while,” Klaus commented.

“Yes, what you both did for Hope was heroic, but she needs her parents. I searched everywhere. All my sources agree about the people who found peace. It is cruel to force them to communicate with us, and impossible to actually bring them back.”

“Elijah?”

“Yes, he found it.”

Klaus smiled, content.

“When that monster attacked your school,” she spoke to Hope, “and told you about your dad, I started to investigate if there was a way to know for sure where he was.”

“Attack? Alaric said something similar,” Klaus asked.

“I’ll explain later,” Hope murmured. 

“I found witch very attuned with the afterlife, and she confirmed that Klaus, you were not yet at peace. That was the easy part, “ she smiled, “It took me more than a year to decipher the ritual and gather everything I needed to perform it. I wasn’t even sure it would work.”

“Thank you,” Hope exclaimed, jumping on the bad to hug her aunt, crying happy tears at the thought that she was okay and Klaus was okay and there to stay.

After that, Keelin and Freya wanted to spend some time alone, and so wanted Hope with her dad. She offered to get Nik back home, so they had a chance to take a walk around the city. The two women were not sure immediately if it was a good idea to introduce Klaus like that, but Hope insisted that he would be fine, so they accepted. 

“We should let Uncle Kol and Aunt Rebekah know,” Hope said once they were out. The sun was shining and it seemed to her it was the perfect day, everything seemed brighter and full of life, “and Marcel too, he would want to know.”

“No ‘uncle’ for him?” Klaus smiled, amused. 

“It sounds weird, he’s basically my adopted brother and my uncle at the same time, so I decided that he is just Marcel,” Hope explained, Klaus burst in a good laugh.

“What was that about the school being attacked?” Klaus asked after a while.

“Monsters started to show up looking for these objects, to break the seal that kept this creature called Malivore locked up.”

“I’ve never heard of it,” Klaus commented, thoughtful.

“It was created to kill anything that isn’t werewolf, vampire or witch. Not kill, actually,” she corrected herself, “it’s called permanent death, but it actually absorbed its victims, and everyone completely forgot about them.”

“Permanent death,” Klaus nodded. 

“I-,” Hope took a shaking breath, “I e-ended up there,” her voice broke.

Klaus stopped in the middle of the street and looked intently at her daughter, he didn’t press for more info, he just looked at her waiting for her to add something if she felt comfortable doing it.

“I was trapped there, it was horrible, but I made it out,” she added quickly, not wanting to go into too many details for the time being, “but for a while, no one knew who I was.”

“No one?”

“No, not even aunt Freya,” she sighed, sorrow in her voice.

“How did you end up there?” Klaus asked then.

“It was the only way to stop it,” she said, for some reason she couldn’t meet her father’s eyes.

“You sacrificed yourself,” he said, and she couldn't read his tone. 

“I thought it was going to be worth it. I jumped into the pit, Malivore was destroyed, and even though no one would remember me, they would be safe,” she shrugged.

“But you’re back.”

“It didn’t go as planned. I was trapped inside Malivore for months and when I got out the monsters started to get out again.”

“And why does Alaric rely on you to defend the school?” Klaus started to put the pieces together and he wasn’t ecstatic at the idea of his daughter in the front lines.

“I kinda don’t leave him a choice,” she admitted. Klaus finally laughed again, and suddenly hugged Hope, leaving a kiss on the top of her head.

“Like a true Mikaelson,” he smirked.

Hope hugged him back and relaxed into his arms, “I try, dad.”

The rest of the day, they spent it together in the city, Hope finally able to show him her favourite places, discovering that most of them were his too. They got ice cream at a small cafe, where they called aunt Rebekah to let her know the good news. Rebekah was silent for a long time after she heard Klaus’ voice, so much that Marcel had to pick up the phone and demand why she was in shock, which prompted them to tell him too, so they were both shocked and silent.

Uncle Kol had the opposite reaction. He started laughing, almost howling, screaming that he knew it would happen someday. Davina groaned, Hope wasn’t sure if it was for Kol’s reaction or the idea of Klaus being back, she didn’t want to investigate. 

They all promised to visit soon, which sat a bit off with Hope, she wasn’t sure she wanted to share her dad just yet. She knew it was irrational, but for the last few hours she could pretend it was just the two of them in the whole world, and the child in her wanted to keep it that way. 

When they returned, Nik was home and got to meet his namesake. He was happy to meet his “new” uncle and wasn’t shy around Klaus. While Kaus seemed pleased to meet his nephew, he still tended to gravitate around Hope, always checking where she was, and that they weren’t too much apart… Or maybe it was Hope who was making sure she always had eyes on him, just in case he disappeared.

Aunt Freya was feeling better as well, she joined the rest of the family for dinner, which they kept light, without talking about rituals, monsters or anything like that. 

Hope didn’t want to go to sleep, she wanted to stay with Klaus the entire night, so she grabbed two notebooks, some pencils and offered one to her dad so they could both sketch together.

“I don’t think I could forgive myself, if I’d forgotten you,” Klaus said after a few hours, he had switched to reading a book, but every once in a while he kept looking at his daughter. 

“It wouldn’t be your fault,” Hope replied.

“Still, you’re my daughter, I shouldn’t be able to forget you.”

“Maybe you wouldn’t,” Hope shrugged, “I haven’t forgotten anything that got absorbed into Malivore, maybe it wouldn’t work on you either.”

Klaus laughed, “Look at you, comforting your own father, shouldn’t it be the other way around?”

“It’s the truth!” Hope exclaimed, laughing as well. 

“I’m glad I know who you are and that I get to see what you have become.”

Hope blushed.

“I don’t know where I was, what I was feeling before coming back,” Klaus continued, “but I know that I was - that I am - proud of you.”

“Don’t make me cry,” she joked, with tears in her eyes. 

Klaus raised his hands in surrender. 

There were so many things Hope wanted to talk about, so many things she wanted to ask him, and ask advice, but slowly she felt the grip on her pencil failing her, and her eyes closed, no matter how much she fought it. Klaus helped her to her room, promising he would be there the next day. 

As her body relaxed and her mind drifted off, she grabbed her phone and wrote a text:  _ “There’s so much I want to tell you. I miss you. Wish you were here”.  _ In the morning she wouldn’t remember sending it to Josie. 

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in such a long time that I didn't know if I still had it in me. Then, I caught up with Legacies (and The Originals) and I felt the need to write! So here we are, what a way to open the new year!


End file.
